BOSTON – Emmanuel men's volleyball returned home for the first time in two weeks, playing host to a Saturday tri-match against the Brooklyn Bulldogs and the SUNY Polytechnic Wildcats at the Boston Latin Gymnasium. After a straight sets sweep of the Bulldogs (25-18, 28-26, 25-17) the Saints would go on to fall in straight sets to the Wildcats (25-21, 25-21, 25-21).

In the opening match, 13 total kills in the first set helped the Saints to a 25-18 win. Leading by one halfway into the set, Emmanuel broke away with eight of 11 points, surging ahead to a 20-14 edge. Brooklyn closed to within four but a kill for sophomore Declan Morrison finished the set 25-18.

In the second, the Bulldogs nearly tied things at one-set apiece thanks to a match-best 17 total kills. Brooklyn led by as many as five before the Saints fought back with the help of a 9-2 run, taking a 19-17 lead. The set required extra points to determine the winner and after three straight in favor of Emmanuel, the Saints escaped with the 28-26 win.

In the third, a back-and-forth battle for control once again broke in Emmanuel's favor as a late-match run of 6-0 would put the Saints on the brink of the sweep. After missing out on their first match point, the Saints put away the set with a kill by senior Thor Yingling, taking the third set, 25-17.

Saints junior Michael Shelley finished with eight kills in the win while fellow junior Trey Guest had seven kills. First-year Eric Barcelos added a career-high five assisted blocks.

In match two against SUNY Polytechnic, all three sets came down to late-game execution in the Wildcats sweep of the Saints.

Tied 17-17 in the opening set, the Wildcats pushed ahead with five consecutive points, including three service aces in the run, taking a 22-17 lead. The Saints drew as close as three, but ran out of time in the set as a SUNY kill gave the Wildcats the 25-21 win.

In the second, tied at 15-15, it was the Wildcats scoring five of six points that launched them into the lead, 20-16. This time, Emmanuel closed to within a pair, but again ran out of points as another Wildcats kill capped the set for SUNY, 25-21.

In the third, the Saints held firm control with a 19-16 edge as it appeared a fourth set was on the way. But with first-year Peter Gottler on the service line, the Wildcats broke off six straight points, flipping the lead to their side at 21-18. Emmanuel closed to within one, but the final three points favored Polytechnic in another 25-21 set win.

Guest and Shelley each finished with nine kills and four total blocks. Senior Aiden McGowan added five total blocks in the loss.

Wildcats grad Adam Brawn finished with a match-best 11 kills while Gottler added 10 kills for SUNY Poly. Sophomore libero Thomas McNulty chipped in with a match-high 11 digs.

The Saints are back in action on Tuesday, Feb. 11, traveling to Rivier for a 7:00 p.m. match in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) play.